Steam has added a brand new rule to its pointers that has resulted in sure video games getting banned, . The brand new clause states that “content material which will violate the foundations and requirements set forth by Steam’s cost processors and associated card networks and banks, or web community suppliers” is just not allowed and will lead to removing from the platform.
In different phrases, if bank card corporations get mad about one thing, they may even have the ability to ban a recreation. The clause that it will have an effect on “sure sorts of adult-only content material.”
This has probably already resulted in lots of video games . The overwhelming majority of those titles have apparent sexual themes and lots of have the phrase “incest” within the title. SteamDB would not give a cause for these removals, however the timing does match up.
Steam has added a brand new rule disallowing video games that violate the foundations and requirements set forth by cost processors and card networks, or web community suppliers.
On the similar time, many incest themed video games have been faraway from the shop. pic.twitter.com/JHun6IZWyn
— SteamDB (@SteamDB) July 16, 2025
This transfer may sound uncommon on its face, however cost processors have constantly fought in opposition to getting used to buy grownup content material. These battles are sometimes instigated on the notion that adults-only platforms haven’t got sufficient safeguards in place in opposition to unlawful content material.
Mastercard and Visa blocked the in 2020. Mastercard went a step additional in 2021, “Speciality Service provider Registration” necessities that introduced “banks that join retailers to our community might want to certify that the vendor of grownup content material has efficient controls in place to observe, block and, the place obligatory, take down all unlawful content material.”
I doubt you will discover too many individuals upset that video games with titles like Intercourse Adventures – Incest Household have been faraway from the platform, however it might set a doubtlessly troubling precedent. Some Steam customers are upset with this rule change the “quiet normalization of economic censorship.”
In different phrases, if gigantic monetary establishments get to determine what is acceptable and what’s not, who’s to say it will not finally affect common video games? One Steam consumer notes that “queer content material will get flagged as ‘specific’ even when it is PG,” which is a . One consumer “appears to be like innocuous at first look however it’s a computer virus.”
On the flipside, Steam has been residence to some really foul content material through the years. We have reached out to Valve to ask for a touch upon this information and can replace this put up once we hear again.